How to turn on Screen Time on iPhone

2 min read · 5 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Screen Time shows how many hours you spend on your phone and in which apps. It is switched off on a new iPhone, and the limits and schedules only appear after you turn it on.

These screens are from iOS 26 on an iPhone 17. On older versions the rows are in the same place, with a slightly different look.

Step by step

1. 

   Open Settings and tap Screen Time

   Scroll down the main Settings list. Screen Time has a purple hourglass icon and sits in its own group.

   Done

2. 

   Tap App & Website Activity

   Before it is turned on, Screen Time shows only a few rows. Tap the first one, App & Website Activity.

   Done

3. 

   Tap Turn On App & Website Activity

   A page explains what you get: weekly reports, Downtime and App Limits. Tap the blue button at the bottom.

   Done

4. 

   Check that the full menu appears

   Screen Time now shows more rows: Downtime, App Limits, Always Allowed and Screen Distance. The chart at the top is empty at first and fills in as you use the phone.

   Done

5. Read your first report

   Come back after a day and tap See All App & Website Activity. You can switch between Day and Week and see your most used apps, how often you picked up the phone and how many notifications you got.

   Done

Good to know

To stop someone else changing the settings, scroll to the bottom of Screen Time and tap Lock Screen Time Settings. You set a four-digit code that is different from your phone passcode.

To switch it off again, scroll to the bottom of Screen Time and tap Turn Off App & Website Activity. Your reports are deleted when you do.

In short: Settings, Screen Time, App & Website Activity, Turn On. Reports start filling in from that moment.